This session will focus on the theme of justice and the future of the Arctic. Its purpose is to identify the gap between current realities and future challenges, using principles of justice to develop integrative and actionable adaptation strategies for the geographies of the Arctic and sub-Arctic region.

The Arctic has often been conceived as an ‘attractive laboratory for certain types of international cooperation’ and the condition of state change in the region provides an opportunity to generate new ideas of cooperation and equitable systemic structures. Despite good intentions of stakeholders in the region, there is an inherent disjunction between the governance and economic development of the Arctic; caught in between are its people and landscapes. It is a significant problem that the ecosystem vulnerability and the need for sustainable development of resources is the language of official discourses, but the reality is the economic development of many resources is anything but sustainable, is often environmentally risky and is rarely equitable to the peoples of the circumpolar Arctic.

If an antidote to the effects of anthropogenic climate change and the presence of inherent systemic inequalities is to be found, radical models should be envisaged if environmental, social and territorial justice is ever to be realised for the Arctic landscape.

The session organisers seek scholars who can engage with any of the questions below or contribute new questions:

Is there a moral contract between the state and the Arctic populations?

What does social or territorial responsibility look like in the Arctic?

For more information about the session, please email Corine at corine.wood-donnelly@ires.uus.se. If you are interested in submitting a paper or would like to discuss your ideas, please feel welcome to drop us a message in advance of the deadline.